The new iPhone 4 from Verizon will come preinstalled with a free 3G Mobile Hotspot application for Wi-Fi tethering, but the new handset will not offer simultaneous voice and data connections like AT&T [updated].

Verizon customers who buy the new CDMA iPhone will find the carrier's custom 3G Mobile Hotspot application preinstalled, offering the ability to share a 3G data connection with up to five devices. The carrier will also offer access to other applications on the App Store like VZ Navigator and V CAST Media Manager.

Update: Though Verizon characterized the feature as an application, it is actually built in to a new version of iOS, called 4.2.5, that is found on the CDMA iPhone. It is possible that the feature could come to other carriers with the same update.

Currently, iPhone 4 customers on AT&T (and other carriers around the globe) must tether their iPhone to a laptop or compatible device via Bluetooth or USB. AT&T first enabled tethering last June after numerous delays, at a cost of $20 per month.

When asked if AT&T would offer a similar mobile hotspot application in the future, a company spokesman said they would not speculate on what they company may or may not do in the future.

While the Verizon hotspot will give it an advantage over AT&T, and allow tethering with devices like the Wi-Fi-only iPad, the company's CDMA network also has one major shortcoming that AT&T was quick to note: It is not capable of concurrent data and voice connections.

AT&T's HSDPA network allows users to browse the Web or load up applications via its 3G network while on a call, but Verizon's CDMA network does not. That also means that the 3G Wi-Fi hotspot feature would be disabled when a call comes in on the new iPhone.

It may be some HUGE HUGE dealbreaker for some people. I have never found myself in the position of needing to use data while on a call, and obviously ALL current VZ customers will not know what they're supposedly missing SO badly because they have never had it. AT&T didn't even bother to advertise this "incredibly important" feature until a year ago when VZ launched their "there's a map for that" ad campaign. Sure, it's nice to have...and like I said maybe for some people this is something they need to have all of the time, but like Cook said...it's a trade-off. For the vast majority of people out there, not even close to being a dealbreaker.

A far bigger disappointment to me is that they didn't bother to make it a "world phone." Bad for re-sale value, and obviously sucks for international travelers.

A hot mess. I was almost going to do the verizon phone until I saw that there is no simultaneous voice/data. What if I'm on the internet? How do I tell the phone not to work so I can stay on the internet?

HUGE DEAL BREAKER! I'm happy with AT&T. They have been very good to me. Plus, they give me a discount at work for having an AT&T phone.

A hot mess. I was almost going to do the verizon phone until I saw that there is no simultaneous voice/data. What if I'm on the internet? How do I tell the phone not to work so I can stay on the internet?

So I made a comment in previous discussion thread on launch of Verizon iPhone, that we will now be able to compare the networks. Now I see this will not be the case. Verizon have been shouting to everyone their have a better network coverage, but AT&T has superior support for more diverse way of working.
I had a funny feeling Verizon was throwing stones and their lived in a glass house and this little update proves my point!

sc*** Verizon!
I have no issues with att here on Miami Beach. My iphone 4 is juts fine. And gods knows I don't want Verizon fu***** with my itunes. I haven't heard anything about this but just keep an eye out.

If their awful overpriced and substandard V-cast and other content services aren't removable from it, NO WAY. V-cast is total crap in every conceivable way. I don't think they're going to see many converts if they're going to be forcing V-cast down people's throats.

My contract with AT&T and my 3Gs is up this summer. I also have been quite satisfied with AT&T's service, with the one notable exception that it took them almost three months to get my bill right every month. Yeah, I've had some dropped calls, and there are places where I can only get an Edge connection, but overall I've had good service from them.

Listen up Verizon; it's a buyer's market, and if you try the same shtick with the iPhone that you've done with all your other devices, you're not going to get the return you think you will. Give people what they want and then they'll pay for your service, and not until.

A hot mess. I was almost going to do the verizon phone until I saw that there is no simultaneous voice/data. What if I'm on the internet? How do I tell the phone not to work so I can stay on the internet?

HUGE DEAL BREAKER! I'm happy with AT&T. They have been very good to me. Plus, they give me a discount at work for having an AT&T phone.

While I am not certain, my understanding is that if a call comes in you can simple hit the Ignore button and continue with your data session uninterrupted. So not like you get booted off and you have to re-establish the data connection.

I'm guessing (so don't frag me if I'm wrong) that the incoming call alert is over the control frequencies, not the main connection channel. So if you ignore the call a voice connection is never made. But obviously if you Accept the call, your data connection will be interrupted while you are on the voice call. One question is if the data connection will automatically be re-established once you end the voice call, or if you need to re-establish the data connection.

Obviously, this is not ideal, but far from the end-of-the-world as some would claim.

It may be some HUGE HUGE dealbreaker for some people. I have never found myself in the position of needing to use data while on a call, and obviously ALL current VZ customers will not know what they're supposedly missing SO badly because they have never had it.

Well, then, it's not going to be as HUGE HUGE as you claim now, is it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LouisTheXIV

A far bigger disappointment to me is that they didn't bother to make it a "world phone." Bad for re-sale value, and obviously sucks for international travelers.

While the Verizon hotspot will give it an advantage over AT&T, and allow tethering with devices like the Wi-Fi-only iPad, the company's CDMA network also has one major shortcoming that AT&T was quick to note: It is not capable of concurrent data and voice connections.

So no calls while tethering either? Too bad. AT&T is not too bad in Los Angeles. It's when I travel to the central coast that they really bite.

HAHAHAHA! so Verizon is basically getting a wood be version of the iPhone, idk abut you but simultaneous voice and data usage us a MUST. Sure the tethering is a nice feature but if you get bumped every time you receive a call, that's definitely not good at all. At least one good things can be had of all this, goodbye Android

HAHAHAHA! so Verizon is basically getting a wood be version of the iPhone, idk abut you but simultaneous voice and data usage us a MUST. Sure the tethering is a nice feature but if you get bumped every time you receive a call, that's definitely not good at all. At least one good things can be had of all this, goodbye Android

Just curious...how many phone calls do you get a day? I don't know about you, but most people I know text instead of making voice calls these days, don't they? So what I'd like to know is if I can send/receive texts while on the data connection?

That said, when I do want to make a voice call I want a reliable connection. So there's trade-offs either way.

What’s bad: Existing Verizon customers will lose their old voicemail boxes, including all messages and greetings, so they will need to listen to everything they want to hear before making the transition. “All existing messages will be erased and can not be recovered” once an iPhone 4 is activated, Verizon notes.

How about weight, battery mAh, et al. specs?

edit: All looks to be the same.

Dick Applebaum on whether the iPad is a personal computer: "BTW, I am posting this from my iPad pc while sitting on the throne... personal enough for you?"

It may be some HUGE HUGE dealbreaker for some people. I have never found myself in the position of needing to use data while on a call, and obviously ALL current VZ customers will not know what they're supposedly missing SO badly because they have never had it. AT&T didn't even bother to advertise this "incredibly important" feature until a year ago when VZ launched their "there's a map for that" ad campaign. Sure, it's nice to have...and like I said maybe for some people this is something they need to have all of the time, but like Cook said...it's a trade-off. For the vast majority of people out there, not even close to being a dealbreaker.

A far bigger disappointment to me is that they didn't bother to make it a "world phone." Bad for re-sale value, and obviously sucks for international travelers.

Too funny. I've been using this feature from almost day one on the networks here in Europe, the Mid East, and SWA. Only the US makes something so basic into a magical feature.

After the announcement, I called ATT and asked for incentives to keep me on their network. I told them about the Verizon announcement, and offered to renew my contract if they would upgrade me to the iPhone 4 at no cost, and knock $15 off my month rate. They accepted the deal. ATT know the threat Verizon poses, and are eager to stop the bloodletting. I would encourage everyone who is willing to stick around to haggle.

Just curious...how many phone calls do you get a day? I don't know about you, but most people I know text instead of making voice calls these days, don't they? So what I'd like to know is if I can send/receive texts while on the data connection?

That said, when I do want to make a voice call I want a reliable connection. So there's trade-offs either way.

I will admit that i don't make many phone calls, but i have had several instances where I'm talking to a business or costumer service agent while on the go where I've had to give them information that i had go pull from the web via my phone. It's a nice feature that i do use. Yes there is a trade off and like i said the tethering is nice because i found that frustrating about AT&T but there is free wifi in about 90% i go to. So it's not an issue.

A hot mess. I was almost going to do the verizon phone until I saw that there is no simultaneous voice/data. What if I'm on the internet? How do I tell the phone not to work so I can stay on the internet?

HUGE DEAL BREAKER! I'm happy with AT&T. They have been very good to me. Plus, they give me a discount at work for having an AT&T phone.

Actually the bigger problem may be how do you tell the phone to work if you are on the Internet. I don't know how Verizon's network works, but if you are on Edge on AT&T, phone calls don't come through. This was a huge problem for me before I upgraded to the 3GS.

Well, AAPL was up about 6 points yesterday and only down about half a point right now, so on the "buy on rumor, sell on news" continuum, they're still well ahead of the game.

Anyway, I have no interest in a VZW iPhone whatsoever, especially one based on CDMA. I was one who thought Apple would never make a CDMA iPhone, but market reality in the US intervened and I'm glad that Apple was pragmatic enough to compromise on this issue. Apple couldn't afford to be off VZW any longer due to the growth of Android, and VZW couldn't resist the iPhone any longer because it was causing them to lose subscribers to ATTWS.

It's nice to finally have a choice in the US. And let's not forget that a CDMA iPhone will open up the device to numerous other CDMA-only carriers in Asia, unless there are technical differences I'm just not aware of.